One of the reasons he's 'slumming it' is because a part in a soap, or long-running drama (Casualty, and the like) is about the only work going for actors, these days.

It may be the reason that actors you would least expect, are turning up in shows you'd least expect. Production companies are closing down. More reality TV is being made, because it's cheaper. The general state of the TV and film industries coat, has been on a rather shoogly (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shoogly) peg for a long time.

Hardly most British actors seem to be getting loads of work in the US, as was Nigel Havers which is why I found it strange he joined Corrie.